Chasing Chaos

Chapter 16

Republic Of The Shadow Walkers - Naomi's perspective

I stared at what was right in front of me. One of the images that I had imagined: Langdale in flames and ruins.

Bethany peered around me, and gasped. "Who did this...?"

"We should investigate," Tim observed. "Maybe there are some clues around here."

I was barely listening, for I was thinking, Is Laurel okay? Is the mansion in ruins as well? Is everyone okay?!

Stepping out of the shelter, I whirled around to see the mansion. It seemed to be okay.

That is, until I walked towards the front door and saw that the left side (my left) was partially destroyed. Rubble was on the grass, and smoke rose from the house next to us, which was about twenty feet away.

So the house next to mine was bombed... That explains why mine is only partially in ruins, compared to everything else in sight.

Good thing my office is on the right side, and not the left. Lucky me.

Bethany was also looking at it, and she commented, "Lucky you, the office isn't on the side that's damaged."

"Did you just read my mind?" I said, looking at her curiously.

"What?"

"... Never mind."

I looked around, in yet more shock.

"The world just loooves to shock me a lot, doesn't it?" I muttered.

"What do you mean?" Tim looked at me curiously. "Being shocked three times isn't that much, if you think about it."

"No, make that four. There was Jan's poisoning attempt, the car explosion, the arrow, and before all that was-" I stopped, realizing that I hadn't told them about Leo yet.

"Was what?" Bethany asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Um... I haven't told you all of what happened yet, have I?" I said sheepishly.

"If we haven't heard all of it, just tell us so we can," Tim crossed his arms.

"Well, I went into the Cemetery to look for Ransom two nights ago, and um... Well, Leo's grave was open, and I tripped over it and fainted, which was why I didn't come home that night..."

"You WHAT?!" Bethany growled.

"Wait, Leo's grave was open?! Was the body... Gone?" Tim raised an eyebrow.

I nodded. "And Ransom was right by the open grave, out of battery."

Bethany muttered something under her breath.

Tim blinked for a second. "Are you sure that wasn't a hullucination?"

"Yes, I am sure!"

"We'll have to look into that more a little later... We've got things to do," Bethany said.

"We need to do what, exactly? It's not like we can go shopping or whatever in this..." I waved my hand at the bombed landscape. "This... All this destruction."

"Darn you, I wasn't talking about shopping!" Bethany muttered. "I was talking about getting you both to Sonraeria, and bringing back the military so that they can help get the survivors outta here."

"Okay, that makes a lot more sense! Imma go start getting my surviving belongings together so we can leave." I rolled my eyes.

As the dawning rays of the sun illuminated the horizon, I opened the front door and headed inside, coughing at the dust that the opening of the door threw up from the floor.